House appropriations bill would overturn Arizona mining ban

The U.S. House Appropriations Committee released a draft of the FY 2012 Appropriations Act for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies today that would overturn the ban on exploration and mining in northern Arizona [right, BLM map of withdrawn lands], that was imposed by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar last month:

ARIZONA MINERAL WITHDRAWAL PROHIBITION SEC. 445.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the approximately 1,010,776 acres of public lands and National Forest System lands described in Public Land Order No. 7773; Emergency Withdrawal of Public and National Forest System Lands, Coconino and Mohave Counties; AZ (76 Fed. Reg. 37826) may be withdrawn from location and entry under the General Mining Law of 1872 (30 U.S.C. 22 et seq.) except as expressly authorized by a law enacted after the date of enactment of this Act that refers to this section.


Update, 7-7-11: Congressman Jeff Flake (R-AZ) says he inserted this language into the bill.